We’ll finish up on the Front Gate Stage with No Longer Boys Bluegrass Band.

No Longer Boys Bluegrass Band

So whatever your musical tastes, you will find something you enjoy – either on the Main Stage, the Front Gate Stage, or the Evergreen Lake House. Check The Big Chili here and scroll down for a complete listing of all bands, along with where and when they’ll be playing. It’s going to be a fun-filled, fantastic day. We’re looking forward to the community coming out! Check here for ticketing information.

At last year’s event, one of the favorites on our music stage was local phenomenon Austin Young. We are thrilled to announce that once again Austin Young and No Difference will be playing at The Big Chili Cook-Off.

Austin is high energy, producing a high quality sound along with preserving the traditional roots of blues music. He is excited to be a part of “keeping the blues alive”! If you’ve never heard Austin Young, check his website here to listen to some samples of his music.

Austin Lee Young is a Colorado native and has been described by some as being a “phenom” guitar player. His youth and energy lend to his own style of music which he calls “Texandrix Blues”. At his young age he exudes unbelievable passion and displays electrifying musicianship in his performances. His inspirations span the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Tim Young, and Ted Johnson. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this magnificent young guitarist and performer along with his band No Difference!

We try to keep a balance here at The Big Chili as we spend the year planning this fantastic event. We balance all the fun we plan to have at this exciting community event with the reason for its existence – supporting our local volunteer firefighters. A couple of events we have at the festival are specifically designed to bring our minds back to our core purpose. We will have a firefighter tribute that will honor those who serve us. A bagpiper will play, and the Evergreen Firefighter Color Guard will present the colors.

We also have this venue – the Big Chili Blog – to make sure people are made aware of the need to support our volunteer fire departments. We thank our volunteer teams, who make such a huge difference in the community. We thank our local firefighters for their efforts during an already difficult fire season and our national firefighters for coming to Colorado’s assistance. And we make mention of the fact that the stress of this fire season goes way beyond the fires themselves. Many of our firefighters who have already faced a grueling season will have to replace all their gear before next year. This means hundreds and hundreds of dollars coming straight out of the pockets of our volunteers themselves. This is one reason for the existence of The Big Chili – to offset costs of equipment and gear for our firefighters. As you consider your charitable giving for the year, please consider The Big Chili Cook-Off. Your involvement with us puts funding right into the hands of our mountain area fire departments and firefighters.

The Big Chili Cook-Off Art & Music Festival is, in great part, about the music. We will have fantastic bands playing on the stage all day, lending to the festive air. But if you’re in the mood for something a little more low key, be sure to stop into the Lakehouse during the day. This is where our artists will be, with coffeehouse-type music, a wine bistro, and silent auction items to bid on. Come in, sit and relax, and enjoy the “Art” part of our festival.

If you’re wondering who provides all the excellent music for our event, it’s our own Cactus Jack’s Saloon. Check out a fantastic write-up about Cactus Jack’s here in Paste Magazine – Signs of Life in Music, Film & Culture. They are number eight on Paste’s list of Twelve Restaurants with Musical Ties, the noted restaurants being from both Canada and the U.S. We couldn’t be more excited for Cactus Jack’s!! Not only are they making a splash nationally, they are also committed to giving back to the mountain community we all call home. You can check out their menu and calendar here to pick a night when you can enjoy great food and live music, right in the heart of Evergreen.

If you’re looking for some fun activities for the family this summer, and you love to contribute to a great cause – come on down to Olde Town Arvada, enjoy great music and food, and lend your support to Habitat for Humanity.